Electric water heater



June v 9, 1936. v l. FLORMN 2,043,510

ELECTRI C WATER HEATER Filed sept. 9, 1952 @3% @www Patented `lune 9, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 10 Claims.

My invention relates to electric water heaters and tops therefor.. More particularly, it relates to heaters of the type which are secured on the usual water faucet to heat water flowing therefrom.

In electric water heaters as now constructed, it frequently happens that the user receives a dangerous shock if the heater is touched while in use. This shock is intensified by the presence of water in and around the heater. The principal object of my invention is to ground the heater so that any electricity which escapes into the body of the heater will be conducted away by a line of low resistance.

More particularly, my object is to ground the body of the heater through the faucet to which it is attached, and especially to use the means by which the device is secured to the faucet for accomplishing this purpose. Such securing means preferably consists of pointed screws which bite into the faucet and assure good contacts. Screws of this type also hold the heater firmly in place.

A further object is to use the screws to prevent the escape of the washer which makes a fit between the faucet and the heater.

The usual stream of water flowing from a heater of this type is slow and has practically no force. It is a further feature of the invention to provide on the heater means to break the flow cf water into a number of small fast streams which issue from the heater with considerable force. Such ne streams have a much greater cleaning power than the single slow stream. More particularly, the spray member through which the water ows has a total effective cross section less than that of the outlet of the usual heater. In this manner, a fine, hard spray is obtained which will remove grease and dirt quickly and easily. Furthermore, the spray member is a part of the heater but can be easily detached therefrom for cleaning or repair or when a spray is not desired. Another object of the invention is to provide a simple and effective arrangement of this type. Another object of my invention is to provide means to adjust the spray of Water by tightening or loosening the spray member.

Further objects and advantages will appear more fully from the following description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing which forms a part thereof.

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 shows in perspective a heater embodying my invention applied to a faucet.

Figs. 2 and 3 are vertical cross sections through the heater on the lines 2 2 and 3-3 respectively of Fig. 6.

Fig. 4 is a horizontal cross section on the line 4--4 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 5 is an expanded perspective view of the vparts of the spray element.

Fig. 6 is a top plan View of the heater.

I wish it to be understood that the heating element shown and described is not a part of the invention and that any type of heating device may be employed.

The body 2 of the heater may be of any well known type and includes a chamber 4. The top of the heater comprises a metallic or conducting plate 6 having thereon an integral annular flange 8 and an opening I0 within such flange through which water enters the heater. The flange is internally threaded so that the heater may be screwed on a threaded faucet. For faucets which are not threaded, the flange is provided with three openings in which are arranged a long metal screw I2 and two short metal screws I4 each provided with a conical point. A Washer I6 to provide a perfect fit on the faucet I8 is provided ,within the flange and below the screws.

The top closes the upper end of the chamber 4 and by bolts 20 which extend through ears 22 on the body 2 and through holes in the top. A gasket 24 is provided between the top and the body to form a tight joint, Openings are of course provided in the washer and gasket to permit water to enter the chamber 4. The heating element 26 lies in the chamber 4 and is supplied with current by a conductor 28 which enters through one side of the body just below the top. An outlet 30 is arranged in the bottom of the chamber.

Below the body is a sleeve 32 secured in any suitable manner and surrounding the outlet 30. An apertured disc 34 rests on shoulders 36 within this sleeve. The lower Yend of the sleeve has a frustroconical opening, the edges of which are serrated as at 38. A member 40 lits in the opening 38 closing the same except for the spaces left by the serrations. The member 40 also has a frustroconical opening. A screw 42 extends through and ts in this opening and is serrated at 44, likewise closing it except for the spaces created by the serrations. This screw threadedly engages in an opening in disc 34 so as to draw the parts together and hold them in place. One or more screens 46 may be arranged on the screw below the disc 34.

In use, the heater is placed below a faucet and the screws are tightened to engage the faucet. The points bite into the faucet and hold the heater securely, and at the same time insure good electrical contact so that the heater is grounded through the faucet and water pipes. Any danger of shock is thus prevented. When the heater is not in use, the screws keep the washer from dropping out. The use of one long screw makes it often possible to remove or attach the heater by adjusting this screw only.

Obviously, the water fiowing from the heater passes through the numerous small passages created by the serrations and is thus broken up into many ne, hard streams sol as to give a spray. By tightening or loosening the screw 42, the members 44, and 38 can be adjusted in their relative position to each other and sprays of different intensity can be obtained. The spray element may be taken apart as shown in Fig. 5 for cleaning or repair or to permit the iiow of a single stream. It is evident that the spray element may be arranged elsewhere and in any suitable manner. Further, a hose 48 may be applied on the sleeve as shown in broken lines in Fig. 1 so that the water may be conducted to a point away from the heater where it will pass through a spray head connected to the hose. This extends the possible point of use of the water.

While I have Vdescribed herein one embodiment of my invention, I wish it to be understood that I do not intend to limit myself thereby except within the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In an electric water heater, a body portion having a chamber therein, heating means in said chamber, an outlet from said chamber, and means secured to the heater body in the path of water flowing through said outlet to divide the water into numerous small streams to produce a spray, said means including a member having an internally serrated opening therein and an element within and closing said opening except for the spaces created by suchserrations.

2. In an electric water heater, a body portion having a chamber therein, heating means in said chamber, an outlet from said chamber, and means secured to the heater body in the path of water flowing through said outlet to divide the water into numerous small streams to produce a spray, said means including a member having an internally serrated opening therein and an element within and closing said opening except for the spaces created by such serrations, said opening and element being frusto-conical.

3. In an electric water heater, a body portion having a chamber therein, heating means in said chamber, an outlet from said chamber, and means secured to the heater body in the path of water flowing through said outlet to divide the water into numerous small streams to produce a spray, said means including a sleeve having an internal shoulder, an apertured disc resting on said shoulder, said sleeve having an internally serrated opening therein, a screw element having a part within and closing said opening except for the spaces created by said serrations and a portion threadedly engaged in said disc.

4. In an electric water heater, a body portion having a chamber therein, heating means in said chamber, an outlet from said chamber, and means to secure said heater to a faucet, said last means comprising a top secured to said body, a ange on said top, metal screws threaded in said flange and adjustable to engage a faucet whereby to secure a heater to the faucet and to ground the heater, said ilange being internally threaded, and a washer in said ange below said screws.

5. In an electric water heater, a body portion having a chamber therein, heating means in said chamber, an outlet from said chamber, and means secured to the heater body in the path of water flowing through said outlet to Idivide the water into numerous small streams to produce a spray, said means including two members one within the other, one of said members having serrations along its surface of engagement with the other member.

6. An electric water heater, a body portion having passages therethrough through which the water flows and including a chamber therein, heating means in said chamber, said heater having an inlet to said chamber and an outlet, the cross section of said outlet being less than that of any other part of any passage within said heater, means in said outlet to break up the water issuing from said outlet into numerous small streams to provide a spray and means to secure said heater to a faucet, said means comprising a top secured to said body portion, and threaded means carried by said top and adjustable to engage a faucet to support the heater thereon, said heating chamber tapering from its upper end toward the bottom, and said heating element abutting on the tapered wall of said chamber and extending to the bottom of said chamber.

'7. An electric water heater, a body portion having passages therethrough through which the Water flows and including a chamber therein, heating means in said chamber, said heater having an inlet to said chamber and an outlet, the cross section of said outlet being less than that of any other part of any passage within said heater, means in said outlet to break up the water issuing from said outlet into numerous small streams to provide a spray and means to secure said heater to a faucet, said means comprising a top secured to said body portion, and threaded means carried by said top and adjustable to enl heating means in said chamber, said heater having an inlet to said chamber and an outlet, the cross section of said outlet being less than that of any other part of any passage within said heater, means in said outlet tc break up the Water issuing from said outlet into numerous small streams to provide a spray and means to secure said heater to a faucet, said means comprising a top secured to said body portion, a flange on said top, metal screws threaded in said flange and adjustable to engage a faucet whereby to secure the heater to the faucet and to ground the heater, said screws being pointed to secure an electrical ground connection, said flange being internally threaded, and a washer in said flange below said screws, said heating chamber tapering from its upper end toward the bottom, and said heating element abutting on the tapered wall of said chamber aand extending to the bottom of the chamber.

9. In a heater as claimed in claim 1, means to adjust the flow of Water emerging from said outlet.

10. In a heater as claimed in claim 3, said screw element being adjustable so as to change the flow of Water emerging from said outlet.

IRVING- FLORMAN. 

